Exploring North Central California :

Gary Danko, Meadowood Napa Valley, Auberge du Soleil, The French Laundry, Château de Sureau

You could visit every one of these Relais and Chateaux properties with one week of travel. Buy why not stop and linger along the way? From the sophisticated culture of the cosmopolitan San Francisco, through the gastronomic enticements of Napa Valley and on to the natural wonders of Yosemite and its surroundings, north central California is one of the most spectacular regions in the entire United States. Poke your way through grand department stores and art galleries, dine in the most highly reviewed restaurants, discover unknown wineries and soak in the dramatic scenery. It all awaits along with the Relais & Chateaux property of your choosing.

Because of its temperate weather, San Francisco is a favorite visitor’s haunt year round. Oddly it is often warmer in spring and fall than summer, but the Bay City can also be lovely in winter, just in time for the Chinese New Year’s Festival which falls in February. San Francisco has the second-largest community of Chinese in the country and Chinatown any time of year is a bustling, exciting place to be. Don’t miss the wonderful new Asian Art Museum, housed in the beautifully redesigned 1917 Beaux-Arts building where the city’s library once lingered. The long-awaited de Young Memorial Museum has finally opened in its new location in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The hundred year old collection includes African Art, American paintings, sculpture and decoration, and textiles. The 144-foot high observation deck here showcases some of the best views of the Bay Area found anywhere. Also not to be missed is the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art located just across the street from the Moscone Convention Center in SOMA. The gorgeous Mario Botta designed building includes a grand black and gray stone staircase leading to the museum’s extraordinary modern art exhibits.

Foodies will want to head immediately to the new Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, particularly on a Saturday morning when the who’s who of the San Francisco restaurant and food world scour the stands and shops for artisan cheeses, chocolate, flowers and the freshest meats and produce. This is where restaurant Gary Danko finds much of its regional ingredients which is used to prepare some of the best food in the city. Long hailed as one of the country’s finest restaurants, Gary Danko has won awards too numerous to mention and continues on its quest to surprise and delight diners who make the trek to its location between North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf.

After indulging in one of the tasting menus at Gary Danko work off the calories with a run or hike through some of cosmopolitan San Francisco’s classic recreational sites. The Golden Gate Promenade is a four-mile trail that begins at Aquatic Park at Fisherman’s Wharf, runs through Marina Green and then along the newly pristine beaches of Crissy Field, a former airfield so completely restored that regional waterfowl and wildlife have even returned to its shores. China Beach is really the city’s only swimming beach though locals also like to head to Ocean Beach at the end of Golden Gate Park on the westernmost side of the city. Stroll or sun-only here as the currents are treacherous. More hiking is found at The Presidio, a former military base now converted into a 1,500-acre public park. You could also take a day and cross over Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County where shimmering Mount Tamalpais has miles of trails criss-crossing its redwood groves and oak woodlands.

Before heading out for culture San Francisco-style, dress up in an outfit purchased in the wonderland of the city’s many shopping districts. Union Square, in the heart of the City, has the major department stores - Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Running just off the Square you’ll find Maiden Lane with its high end boutiques, coffee houses and luxury day spas. Just a few blocks from the Square, Wilkes Bashford has been a bastion of couture specific to San Francisco for 38 years. For more trendy selections head to Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights where there are five blocks of boutiques filled with cashmere, jeans and the latest creations for the young and hip. In Cow Hollow, closer to the Marina, you’ll find Union Street, an eight-block retail district filled with unique housewares, jewelry shops, casual clothing boutiques and lots of coffee houses.

After completing your city-fix, it’s time to leave San Francisco for wine territory, a spectacular hour’s drive into the country. Head north over the Golden gate Bride on Highway 101 and take the Napa exit (Highway 37) to Highway 121/12 following the signs to Napa before eventually turning onto Highway 29. You are entering a completely different world so travel slowly, take your time, stop in interesting stores, plan a picnic, and savor the beauty along the way to Napa Valley, the heart of America’s wine country.

When exploring this region you have two ultra-luxurious Relais & Chateaux properties from which to base. Meadowood Napa Valley is in St. Helena, the high profile center of the Napa Valley wine industry or Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, a small town bordering St. Helena with a number of very special wineries. Each offers privacy, romance, graceful architecture, come with full spas, and world class restaurants right on site, yet come with enough differences so that spending a few nights at each will give you a completely unique experience.

Napa Valley is striking at any time of year, but it may be most memorable in September and October during harvest season when the wineries are in full production. At this time of year you can actually see first hand how the grapes are turned into your favourite Chardonnay or Merlot. Spring is for Mustard Festival, which takes place from the end of January through March, that gorgeous season before the busiest tourist months have arrived, when the wild mustard flowers carpet vineyards with brilliant hues of green and gold. Running parallel to Highway 29 is Napa Valley’shistoric Silverado Trail, a lovely detour from the highway and one packed with vineyards which you may visit as you meander through the towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena before ending in Calistoga. Each has its own character and charisma worthy of a morning, afternoon or even a full day’s visit.

It would be difficult to imagine a visit to this part of the country without planning a day or two of wine tastings. There are more than 250 wineries in the region and every one is a museum of sorts: some with art galleries, a few with restaurants, most with behind the scene tours and all with wonderful tasting opportunities. Concierges at Meadowood Napa Valley and Auberge du Soleil can help you set up an itinerary, arrange private appointments, and even hire a driver for those who want to imbibe without worrying about driving impaired. To learn more about sparkling wine, for example, opt for an educational tour of Schramsberg located in a magnificent cave along the Silverado Trail. Also unusual, particularly for its Parisian-inspired salon, is Swanson winery which offers small food pairings with tastings to show how food and wines can complement each other. The more ambitious may spend an entire day winery hopping on Spring Mountain, a region just north of the Silverado Trail. Spring Mountain Vineyards, Pride Mountain, Barnett, Schweiger and Terra Valentine are just a few of the excellent wineries here that appreciate tourers.

When it’s time for abstinence, Napa Valley has plenty of other options. Head to the top of Napa Valley, where the historic Calistoga Spa and Hot Springs with a series of naturally heated mineral pools is the perfect place to soak out toxins. Or let the concierges at Meadowood Napa Valley or Auberge du Soleil set up a hot air balloon ride to get a birds-eye view of the Valley and its surroundings. These begin early in the morning and end with a champagne brunch. Biking is another favoured activity in the Napa Valley, perfect for burning off calories imbibed throughout the day. You may sign up for a guided tour or simply rent bikes and set off on your own. Shoppers can spend days poking through the tiny boutiques in St Helena, Yountville and other nearby towns which sell everything from luxury soap to art.

With wine and extracurricular activities well in hand it’s time to delve into the gourmet aspect of America’s wine country, the real reason most come to this part of the world. Take a morning or afternoon to learn about olive oil by signing up for a Great Olive Tour. These private, appointment-only visits will take you to and through some of the 20 old-world olive orchards scattered throughout the Napa Valley. At Round Pond you may touch the trees and fruit and at tour’s end dine on greens, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, apples and wedges of French bread that enhance the various oils from their farm. Poplar Hill makes and serves cakes baked with their olive oil while visitors to Villa Mille Rose send home crates of surplus product with their guests.

A few minutes down the road in the town of Yountville the renowned Relais & Chateaux gourmet establishment the French Laundry has become a tourist destination all its own. Chef Thomas Keller now divides his time between this wildly successful restaurant and his latest venture, Per Se in New York City. At the French Laundry dining becomes an event, typically lasting as long as four hours so each bite of Keller’s inspired dishes may be savoured. The elegant 1890s stone residence is completely inviting, light and airy and surrounded by lush country gardens. Only 62 customers will be able to dine each evening and because it’s a place true epicurean will want to experience at least once in their life, book ahead to avoid disappointment. Another superb dining experience awaits at the Auberge du Soleil, one of the first great Wine Country restaurants, where executive chef Robert Curry’s ingredients are grown almost exclusively regionally and are used in creations designed to appeal to the most discerning gourmand. A 15,000 bottle wine cellar and an outdoor deck where al fresco dining brings views of the local olive groves and vineyards complete the picture. At Meadowood Napa Valley the cuisine is about fine country dining. Fresh and healthy regional ingredients, many grown on the property’s own gardens, complement the light style, perfect after a full day of tasting.

Gastronomically sated it is now time to appreciate some of the most bucolic recreational sites in the country. Four to five hours southeast of San Francisco and within shouting distance of Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite National Park you’ll find yourself climbing into the Sierra National Forest to reach the Provencal-styled Chateau du Sureau in Oakhurst. It’s a drive to remember. The Sierra National Forest and its 1.3 million acres in Central California on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range winds through everything from gently rolling oak-covered foothills to snow-capped peaks. At any time of year there are outdoor options in this part of the state to please the staunchest enthusiast: cross country skiing and snowmobiling in winter, fishing and camping in summer. Favoured times of year remain Spring when the wild flowers come into full bloom and the waterfalls peak and Fall for the glorious changing of the colors.

Begin your journey by spending a day or two browsing for antiques in Oakhurst, an artsy community full of galleries. Try the William Gallery West for local woodwork, jewellery and pottery or the Stavast Gallery for fine art. Just for fun take a turn panning for gold in Coarsegold Historic Village where gold was discovered in 1852. Each Memorial and Labour Day the Village plays host to the Peddler’s Fair where artists and artisans display their antiques, collectibles and other treasures. If you come in April, you’ll be able to take in the Chowchilla world famous Western Stampede. The Sierra Art Trails comes in October featuring the work of more than 100 local artisans. In short, there’s a festival just about every month of the year so you’ll find no lack of action in Oakhurst.

In the nearby town of Madera, a wine trail leads the way through a handful of wineries that mostly produce port, muscat and dessert wines. For the more active, the concierge at Chateau du Sureau can set up any excursion from 4-wheel-driving to river rafting to golf to photography tours. You can even travel back in time aboard the Sugar Pine Railroad, a narrow-gauge logger that weaves its way amidst the tall pine trees.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect about Chateau du Sureau’s Oakhurst location is that it is the southern gateway to what is arguably the world’s most acclaimed park - Yosemite National Park. Only 12 miles from the southern entrance of this 1,189 mile natural splendour, Oakhurst provides easy access to some of Yosemite National Park’s most famous attractions: Glacier Point with its spectacular vistas of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and three gushing waterfalls. Glacier Point is typically open in summers through some like to ski here in winter months. El Capitan, also in this vicinity, may be the most notorious rock climbing wall in the universe, with its granite monolith, the largest in the world, rising 3,000 feet above the valley floor. The Ahwahnee hotel and National Historic Landmark built in 1927 is worth a visit for its rustic American Indian motif style and historic Yosemite paintings and woven tapestries.

From Chateau du Sureau it’s an easy hop to reach the Sierra Heritage Scenic Byway, 100 miles of roadway that passes through some of the Sierra Nevada’s most dramatic landscape. Along the way you’ll glimpse life as it was in the 1870s at the Fresno Flats Historical Park, where early settlers came and built homes, schools and even jails for themselves. The structures still remain and you may tour them on your own. Further along the highway you’ll find the Sierra Mono Indian Museum with its wildlife exhibits, tools, jewelry and baskets created by various North American Indian tribes. For boating, camping and fishing there is the secluded Mammoth Pool Reservoir, closed in winter and also from May 1-June 16 to allow migrating deer to swim across the lake, the 1,540-acre Nelder Grove tract of giant sequoias named for gold seeker John Nelder who landed in the grove and lived for the rest of his life, and Sky Ranch Road where you’ll come to the 1.6 mile Fresno Dome hike, one of the most popular in the region. Only 15 minutes from Oakhurst, Bass Lake, a mountain reservoir with a lovely alpine setting, will please the most avid fisherman. There’s also boating, swimming and even water skiing.

After a day in the great outdoors what could feel better than a dip in a hot springs at Corlieu Falls along Highway 41 or at Mammoth Pool at Beashore Road. Even better, head back to Chateau du Sureau where the on site spa offers a full range of services from massages to facials. Then it’s time for sipping champagne on the terrace or in the gardens of Erna’s Elderberry House, the Chateau’s exquisite restaurant. Named for the elderberry bushes covering the surrounding grounds, there are three dining areas spread throughout the restaurant, each prettier than the next and decorated with antique French furnishings. They are all good places to fuel up for another day in the great outdoors of the Sierra Nevada forest and a vacation of a lifetime.

While the excursions mentioned here are among the popular in the north central part of California, there are many more to be discovered. Go exploring and discover the pleasures of this part of the country for yourself. When you need help, the concierge at your Relais & Chateaux property is standing by to help put together an itinerary exactly for you.

Exploring North Central California : nearby Relais & Chateaux properties